A: A charter school is an
independent public school that operates independently of the district board of
education. In effect, a charter school is a one-school public school district.
A group of people — educators, parents, community leaders, educational entrepreneurs
or others — write the charter plan describing the school's guiding principles,
governance structure, and applicable accountability measures. If the state
approves the charter, the state funds the charter on a per pupil basis. In most
cases charter schools operate under a clear agreement between the state and the
school: increased autonomy in exchange for increased accountability. Because
they are schools of choice, they are held to the highest level of
accountability — consumer demand.

Q: What makes your school different from other schools in CCSD?

Charter schools operate from 3 basic
principles:

A: Accountability: Charter schools
are held accountable for how well they educate children in a safe and
responsible environment, not for compliance with district and state
regulations. They are judged on how well they meet the student achievement
goals established by their charter, and how well they manage the fiscal and
operational responsibilities entrusted to them. Charter schools must operate
lawfully and responsibly, with the highest regard for equity and excellence. If
they fail to deliver, they are closed.

Choice: Parents, teachers, community groups,
organizations, or individuals interested in creating a additional educational
opportunities for children can start charter schools. Local and state school
boards, colleges and universities, and other community agencies can sponsor
them. Students choose to attend, and teachers choose to teach at charter
schools.

Autonomy: Charter schools are freed from
the traditional bureaucracy and regulations that some feel divert a school's
energy and resources toward compliance rather than excellence. Proponents of
charter schools argue that instead of jumping through procedural hoops and over
paperwork hurdles, educators can focus on setting and reaching high academic
standards for their students.

Q: Do you have to pay tuition? How are charter schools
funded?

A: Charter schools are public
schools and like district public schools, they are funded according to
enrollment (also called average daily attendance, or ADA), and receive funding
from the district and the state according to the number of students attending.
However, in a number of states, they do not receive the full equivalent of
their district counterparts: Minnesota charters only receive the state portion
(about 75% of a district school's total per-pupil allocation); charters in New
Jersey and Colorado also receive less than 100% of the per-pupil funding. In
other states, charters must negotiate their funding in their charter contract,
often below the level of funding of their district counterparts, and then make
up the difference through grants and donations. In addition, unlike traditional
district schools, most charter schools do not receive funding to cover the cost
of securing a facility. Conversion schools (charter schools that were once
public or private schools) begin with established capital, namely the school
and its facilities. A few states provide capital funding to start-up schools,
and some start-up schools are able to take over available unused district
space, but most must rely on other, independent means. Recent federal
legislation provides funding to help charters with start-up costs, but the task
remains imposing.

Q: Do charter schools have admission policies? Can anyone attend a
charter school?

A: By law, charter schools must have
a fair and open admission process, conducting outreach and recruitment to all
segments of the community they serve. They are public schools and therefore
cannot "choose" which students attend. Like other public schools,
charter schools are nonsectarian and nondiscriminatory in admission and
employment practices. Charter school students are admitted on a first-come,
first served basis, or by lottery when applicants exceed available slots.

Q: Are teachers licensed?

A: Teachers must meet state
guidelines for teacher licensure and have a current Nevada Teacher's License to
teach at Pinecrest Academy of Nevada.

Q: Do charter schools offer special education services?

A: Yes, charter schools must meet
state law regarding special education services for students and must meet the
requirements of student IEPs (Individualized Education Program).